Archive for category All Souls Day

Yesterday, we celebrated the solemnity of “All Saints” day; today, we are celebrating the “Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed,” this feast also being known as “All Souls’ Day.”

Since both of these feasts concern the departed, some of you may ask yourselves, “What is the difference between these two feasts?” On All Saints’ Day, we commemorate those who are in heaven, those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live forever with Christ. While the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed we remember those who are still in Purgatory, those who die in God’s grace and friendship that need to undergo purification after death so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned (Cf. Council of Florence (1439): DS 1304; Council of Trent (1563): DS 1820; (1547): 1580; see also Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus (1336): DS 1000). The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire (Cf. 1 Cor 3:15; 1 Pt 1:7) (cf. CCC 1031).

Why do we need to commemorate all the faithful departed especially our loved ones?

First, because we believe in the communion of saints. Otherwise stated, we believe in the communion of the Church of heaven and earth. Our catechism teaches us that there are three states of the Church. Those who are in heaven belong to the Triumphant Church; those who are in Purgatory belong to the Suffering Church; those who are still on earth belong to the Pilgrim or Militant Church.

The Church in her Cathechism (CCC 954) teaches: “When the Lord come in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating ‘in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is’” (LG 49; cf Mt 25:31; 1 Cor 15:26-27; Council of Florence (1439): DS 1305).

All of us, however, in varying degrees and in different ways share in the same charity towards God and his neighbors, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our God. All indeed, who are of Christ and who have his Spirit form one Church and in Christ cleave together (LG 49; cf. Eph 4:16). Since we are community of saints in Christ who “died for all” what each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all.

Hence, as community of saints of Jesus let us help one another and strive together for the sanctification of men and glorification of God that will lead us all to heaven, “the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness” (CCC 1024). This is always what we pray for, what we strive for, what we hope for.

Second, those souls in Purgatory have been in great need of us. They need badly our prayers. “In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and ‘because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead and that they may be loosed from their sins’ she offer her suffrages for them” (LG 50; cf. 2 Macc 12:45). Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective” (CCC 958).

The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences and works of penance such as prayer, fasting and almsgiving undertaken on behalf of the dead. “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in 1 Cor. 41, 5: PG 61, 361; cf. Job 1:5).

Third, we remember them because we thank them for their goodness, love, good works, good example and beautiful memories. As Massieu once said, “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” Hence, let always remember them with our gratitude, appreciation, love and, above all, with our prayers, sacrifices and offerings.

In this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, let us pause for a moment and remember all our loved ones and all the faithful departed with love. Then let us unite all our prayers, offering and sacrifices for the salvation of the elect who are still in Purgatory, that God the Father of mercies and consolation, will grant them eternal repose and happiness in heaven.

Sir Winston Churchill once said something beautiful about death. He said and I quote, “Broadly speaking, human beings may be divided into three classes: those who are billed to death, those who are worried to death, and those who are bored to death.“

Fear of death is written deeply into every human being. Whether we like it or not death terrifies us, death horrifies us, death shakes our being to its very foundation. Even the mere thought of the possibility of death may make us cry out and bargain: not me, not now!

This shows that deep within us we cannot accept the reality of death. It is not suprising, therefore, if we simply ignore it, if we simply choose not to think about it, if we pretend that it does not exist. If it exists it exists only for others, but not for ourselves.

But the thought of death does not allow itself to be put aside so easily. There are many things around us that keep on reminding us of the reality of death. Sickness, disability, accident, catastrophy, misfortunes and old age are constant reminders of the universality and the inevitability of death. So, all we can do is repress it or play down its seriousness. Men have never ceased to look for remedies to death. One of these is called procreation: surviving through one’s children. Another is fame. Another is perpetuating one’s memory by planting trees, writing books and establishing monuments which serve as memorials and the like. In our day a new pseudo-remedy is spreading: the doctrine of reincarnation.

Christianity has something quite different to offer in regard to the problem of death. It proclaims that death is the making of the devil out envy for man who is created in the likeness of God and destined for immortality (see Wisdom 1:13-15, 24) . It also teaches that death, which is the last enemy to be conquered, has been defeated by the death and resurrection of Christ who died for all us and for our salvation. As St. Paul wrote: “We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus to life, will also raise us up and take us up” (2 Corinthians 14:14). “If we have died with Him we shall also live with Him; if we hold out to the end we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tm 2:11-12). Death, therefore, is no longer a precipice over which all must plunge, but rather a bridge to the other shore — eternity. Nevertheless, reflecting on death is also good for believers. It helps us, above all, to live better. In today’s Gospel, we are reminded that there is life after death, that there is resurrection of the body, that there is communion and fellowship with God in heaven. Once we rose from the dead death has no more power over all. We become sons and daughters of Resurrection. These are the articles of faith that we solemnly profess every time we recite the Credo when we attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Hence, there is nothing to be afraid of. There is nothing to worry about. On the other hand we have more than enough reasons to hope. All we need is to believe and persevere to the end in our faith in Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. For the Lord promised eternal life to those who believe in him and persevere in the faith to the end. As James the Apostles assures us: “Happy is the man who holds out to the end through trial! Once he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life the Lord has promise to those who love him” (Jas 3:12).

In today’s Mass let us remember with our prayers and sacrifices our our faithful departed especially those who are still in the purgatory. The Bible tells us that “praying for the dead is holy and deserving of praise.” This is the reason why the Church from the time immemorial exhorts us to pray for the dead and offer Mass for the expiation of their sins. The Church reiterates this when she teaches that praying for dead and the living as well burying the dead are works of mercy that can merit us salvation (see Mt 25). Let us also thank the Lord for the precious gift of life and live this life to the fullest. Then as a sign of our gratitude and appreaciation to the God of the living, let us always respect, protect and promote the value of human life in all its stages and faces.